The Erosion of a Role? Jordanian mp s and the Weakening of a Political Clientelism System

In Jordan, Members of Parliament ( mp s) have historically acted as intermediaries between the Hashemite monarchy and the population. Since the creation of the parliamentary institution, they have redistributed resources, such as public jobs, to their constituencies, in a more general context where public employment has enabled the crown to secure the political loyalty of Jordanian tribes. The stabilizing role of public employment was nevertheless called into question with the introduction of neoliberal reforms since the 1980s onwards. This article examines the effects of this evolution on the daily lives of mp s. Based on data collected during several fieldworks between 2019 and 2022, it examines their different strategies to continue, with difficulty, to perform their “service” role with their constituents. The article also explores mp s’ willingness to invest more time in other functions, such as parliamentary oversight, in order to win and retain loyalty among their voters

Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies · Middle East Politics and Society